1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a composite structure and method of making composite structures. More particularly, the invention relates to resilient composite components which are especially adapted for use in blind connections between two or more composite shell members, and a method for manufacturing a composite article using said resilient composite components.
2. Description of Related Art
In the past, a number of structural composite articles have been developed using a variety of different technologies. One prior art technique involves interweaving yarns of polyester fibers with yarns of glass fibers to form a composite fabric. The fabric is then fitted within a mold and soaked with resin. The formed fabric and resin composition is then allowed to harden within the mold. While providing a generally rigid structure, such a technique includes a number of limitations, among them the inability to produce a variety of different shapes of substantial bulk or complex dimensions.
Another prior art technique involves manufacturing a light weight energy-absorbing structure made up of a laminate including a plurality of fabrics. The fabrics are pre-impregnated with a thermosetting resin and abutted against a core of cellular foam which has had a bonding material applied at the interface between the impregnated fabric and the foam. Heat is applied to cure the resin and the bonding material. However, when bonding material is used, it is often the case in hostile environments that the bonding material breaks down, an undesirable result when such structures are used in high load or stress applications.
Yet still another prior art technique involves the manufacture of a thermoformable composite article comprised of a core layer made of a synthetic resin foam. A pair of adhesive layers are placed in contact with the opposite upper and lower surfaces of the core layer and a pair of fabric layers are superimposed on the opposite upper and lower surfaces of the core layer. The fabric layers are bonded to the core layer by the adhesive layers. At least one of the fabric layers is made of a non-woven fabric which has been impregnated with a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin. This technique also involves the disadvantages noted above with respect to the use of adhesives.
In boat building, especially glass fiber boats, hulls are typically reinforced by a grid arrangement of structural members known as "stringers" and "bulkheads," hereafter collectively referred to as "stringers." Present boat-building technology typically employs plywood stringers, although a growing percentage uses glass fiber/foam stringers. The plywood stringer system involves several process stages. The plywood is first cut to shape by a cutter or by hand with the use of templates. The stringer system which is commonly made up of interlocking stringers and bulkheads is assembled outside of the boat, with interlocking pieces being held with staples. Once the system is assembled, it is then placed in a boat as a module and laminated into place using a combination of reinforcing fabrics.
Glass fiber stringers are installed in a slightly different manner from plywood stringers. One way of installing such stringers is to cut blocks of foam into the shape of the stringers. The stringer shaped foam is then bonded into the hull and covered with glass fiber. Another way is that the glass fiber shell of the stringer is first laminated using a male mold. The stringer is then ground to fit into the boat and once the stringer has been ground to fit, it is spaced off of the bottom of the boat to avoid cracking problems. The stringer is then laminated into place and holes are drilled into the stringer and the stringer is filled with a two-part urethane foam.
Future boat construction is expected to use closed molding technologies. The reason for this is 1) to control noxious vapor emissions into the environment, 2) to reduce labor costs and (3) to create structurally superior constructions. Such future technology will generally require use of stringer systems made of composite structures compatible with such closed moldings. Conventional stringer systems are not well suited to such technologies since they will need to be installed after the hull has been laminated using an open mold. Wood stringers would be difficult to incorporate into a closed mold due to height and width constraints. Further, prepositioning of glass fiber reinforcement normally hand laminated over the wood or foam stringer system would be costly and create quality control problems. Conventional glass fiber stringers also pose problems due to the void in the stringer structures. Specifically, since foam is injected into such stringer after installation, it becomes difficult to keep the resin from filling the inside of the stringer.
Another problem which frequently occurs in the construction of composite articles such as boats arises in connection with the assembly of inner and outer plastic or composite shells. For example, in the case of boat manufacturing, it is conventional to first form a hull portion and to subsequently attach a deck portion therein. However, due to manufacturing tolerances and the need to securely bond the two structures together, caulking of various types is conventionally applied in heavy concentration at locations along the inner hull and on the underside of the deck where the two shells are intended to be joined together. When the deck is installed within the hull, the excess caulking is displaced and the caulking which remains fills any gaps and crevices between the two components. Thus, the caulking has the effect of filling gaps between the hull and deck and securely bonding the two together over the entire bonding area.
There are two serious drawbacks to the conventional use of caulking to assemble boats. One problem is the amount of weight which the caulking adds to a boat. In fact, such caulking can represent roughly 5% to 10% of the total weight of conventionally manufactured boats. A further problem is the labor involved in applying the caulking. The task tends to be exceptionally labor intensive and time consuming.
In accordance with the invention, these and other problems with the prior art are avoided by providing a resilient composite structure which avoids the use of adhesive and lends itself to a variety of shapes, structures and applications. In one specific aspect, the composite articles manufactured in accordance with the method are used as resilient attachment members in boat manufacturing to greatly simplify the manufacture of boats, and permitting their use in closed mold environments.